Better Than An Echo
by TheAnonymousWriter12
Summary: What if Jonas found something better than an echo? Rated K Plus for some use of action and death


**Author's Short Note: _The Giver_ and it's characters are made by Lois Lowry. Characters that are not in the original book are owned by me. (The family I made up in the end.) Anyways enjoy the short story and remember to give me a review so I can improve.**

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However, that music that Jonas did hear wasn't an echo as the lights that he saw came closer and brighter by the second as the sled flew down the hill. He saw the lights coming closer and closer. That's when the sled started to slow down and skidded to a stop. Sitting there still holding Gabriel in his arms he struggled to stand up. "I can no longer feel my legs." Jonas thought to himself. He tried getting up again to no avail, he couldn't get up he was too numb to move from the spot he was sitting there. "Oh no I am going to die, here cold and alone." He thought to himself once again. Tears started running down Jonas's cheeks he didn't want to die here cold and alone. It was started to get colder and colder outside. The tears which were running down Jonas's cheeks were now hard solid ice. Jonas tried getting up once more. He looked up and saw the lights and music still there. He realized he couldn't get up, his legs were too numb to move. "Come on please, please let me get up I need to move for me for Gabriel," Jonas said to himself. He tried getting up once again and this time he was able to get up. Still holding Gabriel in his arms he began to walk towards the lights and music. He felt himself getting colder and colder by the second he could feel the cold air sucking his life away. He now felt as if he was going to collapse and die. But something kept him from moving something as strong as a rock kept him moving in his body. He was determined to get to the lights and music and find out what the music and lights now were. "Gabriel we are almost there," Jonas said to Gabriel. Gabriel didn't respond he didn't move he didn't even give a sign that he was happy. Jonas looked down at Gabriel his eyes were closed and he didn't see his breath in the air. Jonas began to shake Gabriel, there was no response Gabriel's eyes didn't even open. Jonas tried whispering in his ear and Gabriel didn't respond or open his eyes. Jonas put his ear to Gabriel's chest and didn't hear anything he didn't hear a beat or a thump. Jonas right then and their realized that Gabriel was as dead as a doornail. Jonas began to cry for Gabriel, it was strange Gabriel wasn't even Jonas's little brother and yet Jonas loved him. "G-Gabriel pl-please wa-wake u-up, please d-d-don't d-die pl-please," Jonas whispered, praying that Gabriel wasn't dead and that Gabriel was sleeping. He then realized right then and there that there was nothing Jonas could do, he couldn't bring him back or anything, and even if he was alive he no longer had any memories of warmth that he could give Gabriel. Jonas lightly put Gabriel in the snow and covered him up with the snow. "Goodbye Little Brother," Jonas said to Gabriel one last time before walking away.

Jonas kept walking toward the light it felt like it was so close but due to the fact that Jonas had a hard time walking through the snow, it felt like that the music and lights were miles and miles away. That's when Jonas started to feel weaker and weaker he felt like the cold was going to take him away and that it would be his end. He felt his legs buckle and he collapsed. He managed to stand back up as he continued to walk toward the lights and music. He felt a little warm knowing that he would be warm and comfy soon. Jonas continued walking forward determined to reach his goal, which was to get to the lights and music. Jonas was still crying from Gabriel's death. His tears froze in his cheeks which made Jonas even colder. "I can no longer feel my body now." Jonas thought to himself as he continued walking. That's when he could no longer continue and he collapsed into the snow. He tried getting up but to no avail. Jonas had used every ounce of strength to get this far and he could no longer continue. "Well, it seems as if I will die right here cold, alone and forgotten." Jonas thought to himself. Jonas felt himself getting colder and colder he could no longer get up, he tried one more time only to find that he couldn't even move his body. He was stuck there he could no longer move. That's when everything around him got darker and darker. "I am sorry Giver I have failed to find that elsewhere," Jonas said. Everything was now getting darker and darker, it seems as if the world was fading away from Jonas slowly. "NO," Jonas said. "I must not fail what I have started," Jonas said as he tried getting in which to his surprise he could. Everything brightened around him. Jonas was more determined than ever to reach his goal and his goal was to get to those lights and find out what they were.

As Jonas trudged through the snow he could feel the snow in his shoes and his feet felt soaked, which didn't help him whatsoever it just made Jonas colder by the second. "When am I gonna get to those lights?" Jonas thought to himself. He kept walking despite the cold numbness he felt inside his shoes. He kept walking, whilst he was walking he looked down and began to think. "What if there is no one there, what if the people there reject me, what if they won't let me in." Jonas thought to himself. Jonas looked up and he saw that the was in front of a house. The windows glowed with light and Jonas could hear them singing a song. "We wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy new year." The people inside the house sang. "That song is as beautiful as Fiona's red hair." Jonas thought to himself. That's when another thought came to Jonas "What is Christmas, is it a special day where everyone is together?" Jonas wondered. He walked around the house hoping to look for a door he was freezing and he wanted to stay at that house for a while so he could go back out. He walked for a while looking for a door until he found one. He knocked on the door and waited for an answer. Then Jonas heard footsteps and the door opened, Jonas saw a man with brown hair. "Hello, can I help you?" The man asked. "Yes um, My name is Jonas and I was wondering if I can stay here." Jonas spoke. The man looked at him and the man saw that Jonas's clothes were soaked with water, his face was red and his clothes were torn a little bit. "I would say no but since you look a little beaten up and cold come on in." The man said with a smile. Jonas was surprised that a stranger let him into the house just like that. Jonas walked in and was astounded by what he saw in this house. He saw a green tree with lights on it, he saw an orange fire crackling, and best of all he saw kids and grandparents sitting there holding presents in their hands. "This is just like The Givers memory of love." Jonas thought to himself. Jonas was also astounded by the color he saw in the house he saw that there were so many colors that were here not the same old colors he used to see in his community but other colors, it looked like a big rainbow and came and splashed itself all over the place. Jonas followed the man to a table where Jonas sat down in the chair. Jonas turned to see the man making Jonas something to drink. "Why is he making something usually people come and give us our meal." Jonas thought to himself once again. The man placed the drink on the table and sat down in the chair next to Jonas. Jonas picked up the drink and drank it and he thought it was the best thing Jonas ever drank in his life. Jonas immediately warmed up. "So tell me, Jonas, where did you come from?" The man asked Jonas. Jonas thought for a second he didn't know where to begin, then after thinking for a second he finally brought the words together. "I came from a community, It was a big community where everything was the same, we had specific rules, everything had the same colors, people brought us food, I came from there everything was perfect, until I got assigned a job being a receiver who receives memories from the previous receiver, and he gave me memories of things that weren't in our community I then left my community hoping to find another and here I am." Jonas spoke, looking down. The man stared at Jonas, The man was shocked to hear that there was another community and that this person traveled all the way from that community to come here to seek out another. "Are you ever going to return to your old community?" The man asked Jonas. Jonas only shook his head. "I am not going back there, they do things that are cruel and it just isn't the place for me anymore." Jonas spoke. "How far is your community?" The man asked Jonas. "It's a long ways away, and I rode here on a bike then walked." Jonas spoke. The man felt bad for Jonas because Jonas went through all that hard work to find that elsewhere and he knew that Jonas wouldn't want to go back to his community. "I traveled with someone named Gabriel he was like my younger brother, however, Gabriel died on the way here." Jonas spoke sadly. Tears started rolling down Jonas's cheeks. "I-I re-really mi-miss Ga-Gabriel s-so mu-mu-much." He spoke stuttering. The man started feeling sorrow for Jonas and for Gabriel as well even though he didn't know who the heck Gabriel was. "I am sorry for your loss Jonas." The man said. "Thanks… what's your name?" Jonas asked. The man smiled and said, "Jonas my name is Benjamin." "Benjamin do you know what Christmas is." Jonas asked. Benjamin was shocked that Jonas didn't know what on earth Christmas was or how it's celebrated. "Since I left my community I have nowhere else to go." Jonas continued. Benjamin thought about something for a second. He had two options for what Benjamin could do, he could either kick Jonas out of his house and force Jonas to go somewhere else or he could keep Jonas as if Jonas was his very own son. That's when Benjamin finally made his decision.

When Jonas left the community and everyone found out about it the Elders were in chaos they had to think of a new Receiver and they had to think of it fast. "This is horrible, just horrible." One of the Elders spoke. "We still can't find a new receiver." Said one of the Elders. "Then keep looking." The Chief Elder spoke strictly. All the Elders nodded and got back to work still searching for the right person to be The Receiver.

Benjamin hesitated to tell Jonas his decision. "I don't know if I should do this, but I feel like I have to tell Jonas." Benjamin thought to himself. "Hey, Jonas," Benjamin spoke, Jonas looked at him. "I was thinking about something and I would like to ask you something," Benjamin said. "Well tell me." Replied Jonas. "How would you like to live with me and my family?" Benjamin asked. Jonas was in shock that this man was going to take him in and allow Jonas to live with them. Jonas didn't know what to say right then and there, that's when the words came to him. "Y-yes I would love to." Said Jonas. Then Jonas realized he used the word love even though it was obsolete. "Great, HEY KIDS COME SAY HELLO TO YOUR BROTHER!" Benjamin Shouted. "How old are you Jonas?" He asked. "I don't know," Jonas replied. "I'll say thirteen." Said, Benjamin. Then four kids came rushing into the kitchen two boys and two girls. "Hi." Said Jonas. "Hello, Big Brother." They spoke. "Jonas these are my kids the on one the left his name is Sean and he is twelve, the one next to Sean is David he is eleven, the one next to David is Sophia she is nine and the one at the end is Rosie she is seven, guys meet Jonas." Said, Benjamin. The four kids ran towards Jonas locking him into a group hug. "We've just me you Jonas but we know you are going to be a great big brother." Said Sean. Tears fall down Jonas's eyes as he returns there hug. After one minute of hugging each other, they let go. The kids run back into the living room and Jonas looked at Benjamin. "Can you show me, my family, Dad?" Asked Jonas. Benjamin was a little surprised that Jonas called him Dad. "Well follow me and I will show you," Benjamin said getting up. Jonas got out of the chair and followed Benjamin into the living room. When Jonas entered the living room he saw people sitting in the living room. "Jonas this is our family," Benjamin said. "That young woman her name is Janett she is your mother and those two elder people sitting on the couch are your grandparents their names are Mary and David there are many more people in our family but when we all get together Jonas, I will introduce you to all of our family." Jonas was surprised that there were more people in their family. Jonas walked up to them and gave each and every one of them a hug. "I want to thank all of you for allowing me to be in your family," Jonas said. "You are very welcome Jonas." They all replied. For the first time since Jonas was in his community Jonas now felt something he had never felt before which was love he now was where he was supposed to be all along his true family was right here waiting for him and for a long time he thought that his community was perfect in every way but now he saw that where he was now with his new family he now felt that everything was perfect, he had now found his community, his utopia.


End file.
